August 16, 2011

Guest Post - Aimee from Fancy Little Things

Hi Lovelies! Hope you're having a fabulous week!

Today, I have a special treat for you. I have a good friend of mine here to share a little tutorial with you all! I "met" Aimee through the beauty that is blogging and can honestly say that she's like the sweetest most helpful girl around! It friendships like this that make blogging so special to me...anyway, I hope you all like her as much as I do! I'll let her introduce herself...(and really, she is sooo sweet and kind with her description of me...I am both humbled and blushing!!!!)

TAKE IT AWAY AIMEE! (LOL!!!)

i will just admin right now – i love dorian --- i love her creative, her style, her writing, the lovely Bible verses she shares {& of course, the exact moment that i need to hear them}, i love that she always messages me back, she has such a fun-loving, relaxed and exciting personality and am SOO honored to be sharing my little tute with you all today! this is what drew me to her blog: j.crew Ruffled Lane Shirt – and as the weather gets a little cooler, i will be scooping up 3+ long-sleeved shirts to make this very shirt!! so, i hope you enjoy this simple, inexpensive & lovely project. if you make one, please send me a photo to: Aimee@FancyLittleThings.comSo, let me tell you a little about me!

·I am a Christian, stay at home momma to two sweet kiddos {Jack is almost 4 & Abby is almost 2} I am married to a stud – a Marine of 13 years {yes, one of those tall bald, handsome & sexy men in that striking blue on blue uniform}.

·Thanks to the Marines we’ve been living in NY about 3 hours from family BUT, now it’s time to head west and bask in the Southern California sun this fall!

·Before kids I was a fortune 500 professional recruiter in DC, wearing dark suits, tall heels, valeting my car and going to swanky meals with clients; life has CHANGED; and i wouldn’t want it any other way.

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photo credit: KainsPhotography.com

·I am the editor & projects author to a group of girls over at FancyLittleThings.com. We post {fancy little} projects, home & garden inspiration, tester-approved recipes, amazing book reviews & much more!

·In my “spare” time I design & develop websites, blogs, graphics and do a bit of writing at byAimee.com.

I like nothing more than making a personalized gift for a friend, a birthday, a shower or just because... so a few years ago there was a lovely little gift buying guide in Real Simple {my fave magazine} showcasing a monogrammed wall art piece from Jack and Lulu for $50. I knew immediately this would not be a splurge item but perhaps a project someday!

Thanks to the comments on my last April post this was the week that I made my very own

MONOGRAMMED WALL ART!!!

Don't you just love it? A touch of traditional sophistication with modern letters for my sweet boy Jack James Steckowski --- {he calls himself Jack James Ski... but I guess we still have time to convince him that there's 10 letters in his last name}.

So, here's your little list of materials:

Picture frame with matting board

{the frames I used for this project once held Jack's newborn pictures when he had a nursery - we switched to bolder colors and didn't need these tan matted frames anymore - purchased at Target for CHEAP}

Scrap book paper, Wrapping Paper, Wall Paper - whatever you've got!

Scissors, Tape

Monogrammed letters made on your computer

Step 1: Open a word document and add the monograms or initials you'd like on your frame. I chose the traditional format with { first initial | last initial | middle initial }. I made the center letter a few points larger. Bold your letters, highlight and scroll through fonts until you find one you love.

Step 2: Print and cut out the letters. I couldn't get very close on some of the edges of my letters so I used a black marker to fill in the spots.

Step 3: Cut your background paper to size and secure to the backside of the matting board with tape or roll adhesive.

Step 4: Add a bit of roll adhesive, tape or glue to the backside of the letters and place in desired location on the colored paper.

Step 5: Put the frame back together with the glass, mat & backing... and then you're all done!

Here's the pair of them together -- of course I had to make one for Abigail Marie!

Thanks for stopping by - I love reading your comments that you're planning to work on my tutorial or that you love how it turned out... your words of encouragement have given me some MAJOR excitement each time I post a new project.

You will definitely see updates of this project in future posts - I intend to monogram a few gifts, a large letter "S' for our bookshelf & much, much more! Get creative and share your finished project on our Facebook page!

Thanks you Aimee, for sharing your great tutorial with us! I can't wait to make this for my living room!

I am guest-ing over at Aimee's blog, Fancy Little Things, with my own "fancy little thing", if you wanna check it out!

Oh, and the giveaway is extented 'till tomorrow afternoon, entries are low, so enter now for a great chance to win! Well, if you wanna...I don't want to be a Mrs. Bossy Pants : )